The Toledo Area Disaster Medical Assistance Team (TADMAT) will through a cooperative effort strive to reduce human suffering and the rate of morbidity and mortality subsequent to natural or manmade disasters. Strength of will and character as well as adaptability and flexibility while working in an environment filled with risk of personal harm and sacrifice are attributes which characterize those individuals who participate on this team.
The TADMAT is composed of members from the Toledo and surrounding area who are committed to respond to both natural and man made medical disasters to reduce morbidity and mortality and to ease the suffering. The TADMAT will make itself available to first the Toledo area community, then the Northwest Ohio community, next the State of Ohio and lastly to the Federal Government of the United States of America. The TADMAT is considered a local asset first and then the asset of the State of Ohio and Federal Government.
Some scenarios that The TADMAT might be utilized for at the local, regional or state level include severe multi-casualty incidents (MCI's) such as an airplane crash at the Toledo Express Airport, A downtown Toledo high rise building disaster such as a fire, an oil refinery fire, or assisting in a community devastated by a tornado. The TADMAT's specific function during these crises' could include:
A) Medical 1) Triage 2) Field treatment and stabilization - The TADMAT will provide highly sophisticated prehospital care due to the MD's, and RN's on the team, essentially bringing the hospital to the victims. The TADMAT is able to provide quality medical care in austere conditions. 3) Outreach and community assistance - During post disaster (phase II) and the recovery phase, the TADMAT could provide medical needs assessment to those unable to access the health care system. 4) Rapid deployment team - Designed to deploy within hours of a disaster to provide sophisticated medical care at the disaster site. - Includes of a team of MD's and RN's with previous prehospital experience, support and assessment personnel. - Carry their own supplies to initiate Advanced Life Support measures in the field which in some situations victims would otherwise not receive until reaching the hospital. 5) Stretcher bearing and supplementing local EMS teams.
B) Administrative 1) Clerical - Record keeping at the Command Post, treatment area, transport area, staging and supply areas. 2) Management-Support-Unit (MSU) for incoming DMAT's - Crucial liaison between NDMS and local authorities. - Have appropriate and unique understanding of workings of both entities and of local assets needed by incoming DMATs. C) Critical Incident Stress Management 1) Defusing during crisis 2) Debriefings after crisis D) Communications 1) Runners (element of redundancy) 2) Ham Operators with specific knowledge & disaster experience. E) Disaster needs assessment and consultation team. 1) Comprises 1 of each: MD, RN, EMT-P, Maintenance/Supply.
F) Education / Research 1) Provide education to medical professionals in regards to disaster preparation, mitigation and response. 2) Provide education to the general public regarding disaster preparedness and self-rescue post disaster. 3) Develop research in disaster medicine to add to the sparse quantity that exists at present.
Additionally, the TADMAT personnel can bring their unique experiences back to local EMS and lay persons increasing public awareness of disaster response and how lay people can assist during a disaster. TADMAT personnel can assist in educating physicians and nurses-in-training as to specific prehospital procedures and disaster medicine techniques. The TADMAT can assist in organizing both prehospital and hospital disaster drills by providing trained observers and consultation staff, manpower and victims.